419 scam: WESTERN UNION PAYMENT <raph_udoh01@yahoo.fr> WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WORLD WIDE BENIN REPUBLIC

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "activation fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22998465813 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION PAYMENT <raph_udoh01@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: western.union201@qatar.io
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 10:29:26 +0100 (BST)
Subject: WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WORLD WIDE BENIN REPUBLIC

WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WORLD WIDE BENIN REPUBLIC
PHASE II, GARKI FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY
COTONUN-BENIN REPUBLIC
REF: WUM-0XX2/987
TEL:+229-98465813.

ATTENTION BENEFICIARY;

INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 48HOURS TO EFFECT PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST $4,000.00 FROM YOUR TOTAL (FUND) SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS PAYMENT OF $ 285, MEANWHILE; WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM,TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE.YOU ARE TO PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT.

WE HAVE TRANSFERED YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $4,000.00 TODAY AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP BY YOU BUT YOU CAN'T PICK IT UNTIL YOU SEND THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION, AS WE TOLD YOU EARLIER, AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVE IT TODAY IF YOU FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTION TO SEND THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION LIKE WE TOLD YOU BEFORE BUT NOT LATE YET, YOU ARE ADVISED TO PROCEED TO THE MONEY GRAM OFFICE TO MAKE THE PAYMENT AND SEND US THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO RECEIVE IT.

AND WE ARE 100 % READY FOR THIS TRANSACTION OF TRANSFERRING YOUR FUND TO YOU AS THE REAL OWNER OF THE FUND WHICH YOU WILL BE RECEIVING AT THE RATE OF $4,000.00 PER DAY.BE REST ASSURED YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $4,000.00 WILL BE CASH ABLE BY YOU WITHIN 45 MINUTES AFTER WE RECEIVED THE FEE OF THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION FROM YOU.BELOW IS WESTERN UNION TRANSFER TRACKING; FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE YOU TO FOLLOW UP WITH OUR INSTRUCTION IF YOU REAL WANT TO HAVE YOUR FIRST PAYMENT AS THE REAL OWNER OF IT.

Sender'S Name::::Teresa David
Test Question:::Honest?
Test Answer::::: Payment
Amount:::::$4,000.00 only
MTCN::::::::::::172-239-0549

BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION UPON CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST $4,000.00 USD, ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU THAT FAILURE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM WILL LEAVE US WITH NO OPTION BUT TO DEACTIVATE YOUR MTCN OF WHICH YOU WILL AND CAN NEVER CASH UP THE BALANCE SUM I WANT YOU TO SEND THE RENEWING AND TRANSFER FEE WITH THE INFORMATION BELLOW.

1.RECEIVER NAME:........ SAMUEL OZOEMENE
2.COUNTRY:............. BENIN REPUBLIC
3.CITY :............... COTONOU
4.TEST QUESTION:....HONEST
5.TEST ANSWER:......TRUST
6.MTCN:............................
7.YOUR COUNTRY NAME......................
8.SENDERS NAME....................

SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST RECEIPT OF YOUR $4,000.00 TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW AND DON'T FORGET TO FORWARD THE MTCN TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS { western.union201@qatar.io} TO AVOID MISTAKE DO THAT FOR YOUR PAYMENT.

BEST REGARDS
MRS. TERESA DAVID.
FROM MONEY GRAM DEPARTMENT BENIN REPUBLIC.
OUR DIRECT PHONE LINE IS +229-98465813.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam